Improvement in harvesters



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELI- E. EICE, CE MADISON, WISCONSIN.

IMPROVEMENT IN HARVESTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 101,659, dated April 5,1870.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELI B. RICE, of Madison, in the county of Dane andState of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inIIarvesters; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in theart to which my invention appertains to make and use the same, referencebein ghad to the accompanyin g drawings forming part of thisspecification.

Figure l is a front elevation of a grainharvester, showing myimprovements applied thereto. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same,showing the binding device. Fig. 3 is an end view, opposite the bindingdevice. Fig. 4 is a detached plan view of the apron. Fig. 5 is a detailview of the gatherer and its boxes. Fig. 6 is an end view of the bindingpress detached from the machine.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the severalfigures of the drawings.

My invention has for its object to improve the construction andoperation of grain-harvesters; and to this end, it consists, first, inattaching the graingatherer to the platform of the machine by auniversal joint, whereby the same can be adjusted at any angle to gathera greater or lesser quantity of grain to the sickle. Secondly, in thecombination of an inclined adjustable rod or bar with the endlessgrain-receiving apron of the platform for, the purpose of causing thestalks of grain to be fed uniformly and evenly lto the binder orgrain-receiver. Thirdly, in attaching the rollers carrying the endlessapron of the platform to the frame of the machine in such a manner as toprevent the grain from becoming twisted upon the `journals of therollers, and thereby retarding the operation of the endless apron.Fourthly, in the combination of a press of peculiar construction with aharvester, to form the sheaves of grain and to hold and compress themwhile being bound. Fifthly, in the construction of the press and in thecombination therewith of certain parts of the harvester, as will behereinafter more fully described.

In the accompanying drawings, A is the frame of the machine mounted uponthe drivin g-wheel B and grain-wheel() in the usual manner. The sickleis operated from the driving-wheel by means of the pivoted lever D andconnecting-rod E, and suitable gearing. F is the reel, and Gthe driversseat, mounted upon the frame, as shown. The cut of the sickle isregulated by raising and4 lowering the frame upon the tongue H by meansof the lever I and connecting-rod J. K is a slotted frame or apronplaced inan inclined position at the inner end of the platform L, andbeneath which the endless carrier M passes. This carrier receives thecut grain from an endless belt or rake passing round the roller N uponthe platform; and the carrier M is provided with pins or teeth, asshown, which project through the slots in the frame K, to prevent thegrain from falling back upon the endless rake. All these parts are ofthe ordinary construction, and form no part of the present invention.

a is the gatherer formed of the angular rod b, having its shorter endsecured firmly to a ball, c. This gatherer is located at the inner endof the platform, being secured in place by the boxes d d, which embracethe ball. By this construction a ball-andsocket connection is formed,which permits the easy adjustment of the gatherer, at any inclination,to collect a greater or lesser quantity of grain to the sickle. Theadjustment is effected by means of the set-screw e passing through oneof the boxes d, as shown.

In the use of an endless rake or apron moving at right angles to thedraft of the harvester, the cut grain is carried to and up the inclineframe K to a binder or receiver in a continuous gavel or swath. Theprincipal difliculty attending this method of carrying off the cut grainis found in the fact that the heads of the grain falling over upon theapron first are moved forward faster than the butts, and therefore restunevenly and irregularly upon the apron, and are carried to the binderor receiver in such a condition as to render their easy formation intobundles or sheaves extremely difficult. I propose to overcome thisobjection by the use of a rod or bar, f, placed at a greater or lesserinclination above the endless apron of the platform and parallel withthe line of motion of said apron.

One end rests upon or in the frame near the grain-wheel (J, and theother end bears at any suitable point upon the lower-end of the slottedframe K, as shown in Figs. l and 4. It is necessary that the rod shallbe placed so near the sickle as to receive the falling grain at or nearthe heads.

By the use of the inclined rods the heads of the cut grain are retardedsomewhat to permit the stalks to be carried forward to the inclinedframe by the endless rake, at the same rate of speed and simultaneouslywith the heads, so that all the cut stalks shall be received by theendless carrier M, parallel to each other. By this means the gavels areformed and presented uniformly to the binder or receiver. Y

To prevent the grain from becoming entangled and twisted upon thejournals of the rollers N, and thereby retarding their motion, recessesare formed in the side bars A of the platform to receive the ends of therollers and their journals. By this arrangement it is impossible for thegra-in to reach the journals to clog and arrest their motion.

My improved binder or press is located at the end of the frame A upon asuitable platform, B', immediately beneath the upper curved end of theslotted frame K, as shown in Fig. 1. This press is composed of acylindrical tube divided longitudinally with the two parts, preferablyhalves, g g', pivoted together and to the standard h, as shown at z'.The lower halfg is held firmly in a horizontal position, and the upperhalf is adapted to open and close upon the lower by any suitable means.

In 4this example of the press the arm j of the half g extends towardsthe front of the machine and furnishes bearings for a shaft, k, carryingthe hand-wheel 7c and pinious l. The forward end of the half g isprovided with a segmental rack, j', which engages with the pinion l.

By operating the hand-wheel the press is opened and closed, as will bereadily understood.

' m is the lining of the press, composed of a sheet of thin elasticmetal and secured at its center -to the interior of the lower half g ofthe press. Its free edges extend upward and are lapped over each otherand inclosed com- Vpletely within the press when the latter is closed,as shown clearly in Fig. 6. n is an apron iirmly secured to the upperend of the frame K, and, extending downward in a slightly inclinedposition, forms a concave grain-receptacle, o, on a line with 'thebottom of the press. p is a stra-ight apron hinged to the apron n nearits upper end and connected at its rear edge to a treadle, q, upon thepla-tform B by means of the connecting-rod r. This apron should be ofsuch a width that when thrown down its lower edge shall enter the pressbetween the two upper edges of the lining m.

The operation of forming a sheaf is as follows: The grain is carried upthe inclined frame Kuntil a sucient quantity is accumulated upon theapron p to form a sheaf, when the apron is swung down by pressing uponthe treadle q, and the gavel discharged upon the concave apron o withthe stalks or butts resting within the lining m ofthe press. Thetre'adle is then released and the apron p thrown up by a suitablespring, s, to collect another gavel. To complete the formation of thesheaf the press is closed in the manner previously described byoperating the handwheel k, compressing the sheaf into the requireddimensions and holding the same in position until bound by suitablemeans, when the press is opened and the completed sheaf discharged.

The object of the lining m is to hold the stalks of grain within thepress and prevent their being caught between the two halves g g when thepress is closed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

- l. The'grain-gatherer a connected to the platform of the harvester bya universal joint, for the purpose specified.

2. The inclined adjustable rod f, in combination with the endlessrake-apron of a harvester, for the purpose specified.

3. The rollers N, carrying the endless rakeapron of a harvester whentheir ends and journals revolve within recesses formed in the frame ofthe platform, for the purpose specified.

4. In combination with a harvester, a press composed of two concaveparts pivoted together at one end, and operating to form the sheaves ofgrain, and to hold and compress the same while being bound,substantially as described. v

5. The press g g, composed of two concave parts pivoted together andprovided with an elastic lining, as and for the purpose specified.

6. In combination with the press g g', the concave apron n, and hingedapron p, all constructed and operating as and for the purpose specified.

ELI B. RICE.

Witnesses:

E. A. ELLswoRrH, G. H. FRosr.

